We first told you about the 3DS eShop conversion of the cult Mega Drive / Genesis shooter Steel Empire in August last year, but things have been pretty quiet since then. Thankfully, we can now update you with some more info — the game hits Japan later this month and will retail for 2940 yen.

The 16-bit original was released in 1992 and was loosely inspired by Hayao Miyazaki's 1986 anime Laputa: Castle in the Sky.

Its unique steampunk look and engaging gameplay have ensured that it has become something of a cult classic with Sega fans, and the Japanese version of the Mega Drive original now changes hands for incredible sums on the second hand market (the western localisation is worth relatively little in comparison). A Game Boy Advance port was released in Japan in 2004, with a European release following a year later.

The 3DS version will feature upgraded visuals which take advantage of the console's 3D screen, as well as the ability to save a replay of your performance in each level. There's no word of a western release as yet, but is this something you'd invest in? Let us know with a comment.

Damien has over a decade of professional writing experience under his belt, as well as a repulsively hairy belly. Rumours that he turned down a role in The Hobbit to work on Nintendo Life are, to the best of our knowledge, completely and utterly unfounded. DamienMcFerran